


Newfound Family

by Sylthfarn



Category: Tales of the Abyss
Genre: A gift for a friend, AU where I take canon and rip it to shreds and then stick shreds back together, Dad Jade AU, There's some abyss spoilers so don't read this if you haven't finished the game I swear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-15
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-09-08 18:44:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8856655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sylthfarn/pseuds/Sylthfarn
Summary: Colonel Jade Curtiss, Third Division, Imperial Malkuth Forces has found something very interesting at an old abandoned castle. Two young boys, who he's decided to raise as his own.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is at least the beginning of a Dad Jade AU for my friend theconstellationsinyourskin on tumblr. I've put thought into this but at the very least this is the start....idk if I'll write more. I wanted to keep Asch and Luke together bc I need more Asch being a big bro, and then also Guy is here bc Guy and Luke's friendship is so important to me.

_Choral Castle ND 2010_

Jade Curtiss wasn’t entirely sure what he was doing here. He was currently at Choral Castle under orders from Emperor Peony himself. Past Kaitzur laid technically Kimlasca land. After the war, however, the governance of the land had become a bit fuzzy as to whether it belonged to Malkuth or Kimlasca. As well as this castle, far on the tip of the Rugnica continent. Jade knew it used to belong to Duke Fabre, and his men were searching. For something. Peony had been vague on that aspect. Jade was ready for them to return to Grand Chokmah and report their findings, which had been absolutely nothing. That was, until he noticed it.

A small boy with bright red hair was sitting outside of the castle. His bright green eyes were inquisitive, and he seemed interested in the butterfly that was fluttering nearby. As it landed on a flower, he moved to get closer, but ended up tripping and falling. With a form of concern he didn’t know he possessed, Jade moved towards the small boy, who was sitting up, but looking ready to cry. The boy looked to be around ten years old, which Jade found both concerning and odd. Why would a child be this far away from home? Especially one who seemed unable to even walk or likely talk properly. Jade froze as he reached the boy, who stared up at him, tears stopped for the moment, in curiosity.

There was no mistaking it. This boy was a replica.

“Vaith!” Jade called to his second in command. “Tell them to search the area! We’re looking for a boy with red hair and green eyes. He should be about ten years old.”

His second in command saluted before hurrying away to relay his orders. He turned his attention back to the small boy, who had been watching him silently. Suddenly, a smile bloomed on the little boy’s face. He reached up towards Jade, and without thinking, Jade picked him up. He was holding a small child. He’d never done this before. Nephry wasn’t so much younger than him, and the closest experience he’d ever had was likely with Peony’s rappigs. Though Jade was utterly uncertain in what exactly he was doing, there was one thing he knew for sure. He was going to protect this child.

 

_Malkuth Land Ship – Tartarus ND 2010_

Jade surveyed the two boys sitting in front of him at the table in one of the Tartarus’s cabins. One of them looked a bit worse for wear, sporting various cuts and bruises. His clothes were also ragged and had definitely seen better days. He was glaring at Jade while sitting extremely close to the other boy, the one Jade had found first. There was no doubt in Jade’s mind what had happened here, but now he had a new question. Who exactly was this boy and his replica?

“So…about your replica,” Jade began, attempting to start conversation with the defensive ten-year-old once again.

“His name is Luke,” said the boy, the grip he had on his replica’s hand growing tighter. The replica looked at his original with a smile. It was clear he didn’t understand what was going on. Jade couldn’t be surprised as he doubted the replica was much more than a day old at most.

“Really? And what is your name? Is it Luke too, perhaps?” asked Jade, raising an eyebrow. A boy with red hair named Luke. He was almost certain now it had to be Luke fon Fabre, the son of Duke Fabre, who married into the royal family.

“It was,” muttered the original. “I’m not going by Luke anymore. _He’s_ Luke now.”

“Then what would you rather be known as?” asked Jade, attempting to get on the boy’s good side. The boy thought for a moment, staring long and hard at his replica.

“Asch. My name is Asch.”

 

_Grand Chokmah ND 2012_

“Luke! Luke where are you?” Guy called as he searched the grounds of the palace. “Lu—”

He stopped as he caught a flash of red from between the leaves of some shrubbery. It had to be either Luke or Asch. Asch could take care of himself, but he’d know where Luke was. If it was Luke, then Guy’s problem was solved. He moved over to the bushes where he’d seen the red, and crouched down.

“Luke? Is that you?”

A pair of bright green eyes blinked back at him. Thank Lorelei. Guy managed to coax Luke out of his hiding spot, picking the boy up and beginning to carry him back to the palace.

“Honestly, running off like that,” Guy was scolding him. “Your dad’s going to kill me anyway after what you two did this morning to the kitchens.”

Luke crossed his arms, and it was clear he was pouting about the inevitable bath that he was going to be subjected to. Guy was just thankful he found Luke. Asch was usually obedient enough to stay in one of the libraries or Jade’s office where he’d be content to sit and read countless books. Luke, on the other hand, still had troubles walking without tripping over nothing, and had a vocabulary a bit above that of an average two-year-old, which was to be expected. When Luke wandered off somewhere, Guy couldn’t expect him to know better than to get into trouble.

As Guy handed Luke off (quickly) to a maid, who would make sure he took a bath and changed into clean clothing that hopefully _wouldn’t_ get messed up before dinner tonight, he reflected on the fact that he was surprisingly glad he’d returned to Malkuth. He had been told by Pere, who received word through his network still in Malkuth that the original Luke (now known as Asch) and his replica (now known as Luke) had been found by the Malkuth military. Guy originally did it for revenge, but after meeting Luke, his mind had been quickly changed. Asch was still a pain in the ass, though.

Both boys were being cared for by Colonel Jade Curtiss, along with the assistance of Guy, Emperor Peony, and just about the entire palace staff. Guy had re-obtained his noble status, but that didn’t stop him from caring for the two-year-old he’d just foisted off on some poor maid to deal with. Still, he wondered if it was worth the threats from Jade after he heard that the two boys had completely ruined one of the palace’s kitchens— _again_. Guy had no idea what they were trying to do, as Asch wouldn’t tell him and Luke, while he could be persuaded, Guy still couldn’t interpret what Luke’s limited vocabulary and mispronunciations were trying to tell him. At least their father would be home later. That would certainly make both of them happy.

*             *             *

“Okay, we’re going to get this right this time,” said Asch, giving his brother a firm look.

Luke nodded quickly. The two of them had barricaded the door to the kitchen they were in, in the hopes of keeping any servants from finding them and ruining their plans. If they did, it would’ve been the third time that day, and about the eighth time that week. Asch was planning on succeeding this time, of course with the help of his brother. And _only_ the help of his brother. It was something only the two of them could do.

“Now, we’re going to need the ingredients, and I think this time you should let me tell which one is salt and which one is sugar,” said Asch, looking over the book that laid open on the counter in front of them.

“Kay,” said Luke. That was fair in his opinion. He still couldn’t read very well, and they both started with the same letter. Asch didn’t blame him.

“Can you go get me the measuring cups? You know what they look like, right?”

Luke nodded and eagerly set about his appointed task while Asch started checking the cabinets for the required ingredients. They’d been practicing all week, with no help from anyone else. They only had a few more hours, and this time, Asch swore it was going to be perfect.

*             *             *

“Colonel Curtiss! You’re back!” said a maid, looking startled as Jade entered the palace. He raised an eyebrow at her.

“Yes. I managed to get back a few hours early. I trust that Asch and Luke behaved themselves?” he said with a small smile. The maid started fidgeting with her apron, looking embarrassed.

“Um, well, they um…” she stammered.

“I’m sure they caused trouble,” said Jade, waving off her attempts to break the news to him. “In fact, I’d be _more_ concerned if they hadn’t. However, I need to take care of some things at my office. I won’t be able to see them until dinner. Please pass along my message if you happen to find them.”

“Yes, sir!” said the maid. Jade was already gone before she realized the implications of his words. She let out a groan and leaned against the wall, her head in her hands.

“What’s wrong?” another maid that had been passing by asked her urgently.

“Colonel Curtiss knows we lost them again…”

*             *             *

Dinner was a rather pleasant affair, Jade having been gone for a week and the twins’ mischief aside. Jade insisted the two of them kept up with their studies, which for Asch was primarily focused on Fomicry (Jade had been rather reluctant, but Asch had insisted), and for Luke, learning the basics. Still, Luke seemed interested enough in learning when his attention could be focused on it. Jade asked them how they had been while he was gone, and Asch had skirted the question by talking about the newest books he’d read. Still, both Asch and Jade knew that the twins weren’t exactly perfect while Jade was away. They weren’t even perfect when he _was_ home.

“I did hear that you two destroyed several kitchens,” Jade commented, giving both of them a hard look.

“We had a reason for that!” Asch insisted.

“Yeah!” Luke added, looking up from giving his peas a disgusted look.

“And we didn’t destroy them! They just got…messy!” said Asch.

“Yeah!” said Luke again.

“Really?” asked Jade skeptically. “What on earth were the two of you doing in the kitchens? Asch, I really don’t mind you learning how to cook, but I’d rather you have some supervision from one of the chefs, especially if Luke is with you.”

“We had to do it on our own,” said Asch, crossing his arms. Luke nodded in agreement, the two of them staring determinedly at Jade.

“Would you tell your dear old father? Or does it need to stay a secret?” asked Jade.

“It’s for you,” said Luke, quickly standing up and hurrying out of the room with Asch.

Jade raised an eyebrow, watching them go. For him? It certainly wouldn’t be the first time they’d made something for him, but it was the first time they’d attempted to cook. He also couldn’t figure why they would have made something. Perhaps because he was coming home? They’d never really done something special for it before…

His thoughts trailed off as the twins came back into the room, Asch holding a plate as Luke followed closely behind. The item on the plate looked rather obviously made by two children who had no experience whatsoever, but it was still, unmistakably, a cake.

“You made a cake for me?” he asked as Asch set it down in front of him.

“Yeah! Uncle Peo said it’s…” Luke frowned and looked at Asch, who sighed.

“It’s Father’s Day. So we wanted to make you something to thank you,” Asch finished.

Jade found himself speechless. The cake did, indeed, say “Happy Father’s Day” in rather poor penmanship, but Jade could appreciate the effort the twins went to making it. He looked up to see the rather hopeful faces of Asch and Luke staring at him.

“It’s…wonderful. Thank you,” said Jade with a smile. Asch and Luke returned the smile before throwing themselves upon him in a hug, knocking Jade off his chair. “Oof, not both of you at once! I’m too old for this, you know!”

*             *             *

Jade was tucking Luke and Asch into bed for the night (they insisted he do it, as Luke would start crying if one of the maids did it, and Guy was only allowed to do it if Jade was gone), though Asch claimed to be too old for such things, when Asch asked him the question.

“Dad…will you start taking us with you when you leave?”

Jade looked down at Asch with a small sigh as he sat down on the bed.

“I’d like to…but I’m not sure how safe it’d be for Luke right now,” he admitted, looking over at the other bed where Luke was already asleep.

“What if I promise to look after him? Guy can come with us too,” said Asch, sitting up and giving Jade a pleading look. Jade chuckled.

“Are you really so eager to join me in traveling around Malkuth?” he asked teasingly.

“It just...gets boring here sometimes,” said Asch, looking down at his lap. “And I know Luke misses you when you’re gone. I’m totally fine by myself, I just think it’d be better for Luke.”

“Of course, just for Luke,” said Jade with a knowing smile. “Well…I’ll think about it. If Guy wants to keep you two out of trouble, then I guess I’ll have no choice.”

“Thanks Dad!” said Asch, beaming at him. Jade shook his head and laughed.

“Alright, now go to bed. Your brother’s already asleep. Don’t let me catch you with a book at 2 am again,” said Jade, standing up and kissing Asch on the forehead.

“Fine,” muttered Asch, shuffling under his blankets and closing his eyes.

Jade moved over to the other bed, leaving a good night kiss on Luke’s forehead as well before he left their room and closed the door behind him. He had been so uncertain when he’d first brought back the son of a Kimlascan noble and his replica to Grand Chokmah. But now, he had no doubts. He loved his sons and he knew he wouldn’t have it any other way.


End file.
